Noctua has recently unveiled its latest innovation in CPU cooling technology - offset mounting bars designed specifically for AMD AM5 processors.
By strategically shifting the heatsink position by 7 mm towards the south side of the socket, these new mounting bars ensure enhanced contact pressure directly above the CPU's Core Complex Die(s) (CCD), effectively targeting the processor's hotspot. As a result, users can experience significant reductions in CPU temperatures, typically ranging from 1 to 3°C.
Roland Mossig, CEO of Noctua, explained the company's journey in developing this technology: "We began experimenting with offset mountings when AMD first introduced chiplet processors with the hotspot positioned towards the south side of the socket. However, on the AM4 platform, we observed only marginal improvements, typically ranging from 0.5 to 1°C. With the new AM5 platform and its distinct heat-spreader design, we have achieved notable enhancements in the range of 1 to 3°C. We believe this will be an enticing performance upgrade for Ryzen 7000 users."
AMD's latest Ryzen processors feature Core Complex Die(s) positioned slightly towards the south side of the CPU, rather than at the center. By precisely aligning the heatsink above the CCD hotspot and applying optimal contact pressure, significant improvements in thermal performance can often be achieved.
While the actual results may vary due to differences in heat flux densities, CPU and heatsink tolerances, as well as thermal paste application, utilizing the offset mounting technique can yield noteworthy benefits. High-end AM5 processors can typically expect core temperature reductions ranging between 1 and 3°C. These improvements can be harnessed to enable cooler CPU operation, achieve higher boost clock frequencies, or reduce fan speeds and noise levels.
While primarily developed for AM5, the offset mounting bars are also compatible with AM4, offering slight improvements for Ryzen 5000 and 3000 series processors. However, the gains obtained through the offset mounting position on these CPUs tend to be much smaller, typically below 1°C, as opposed to the 1 to 3°C improvements achievable on AM5.
To accommodate different coolers with varying mounting pitches (83 mm vs. 78 mm) and basic architecture, distinct sets of offset mounting bars are available. For optimal orientation, single tower coolers require mounting points east and west of the socket, while dual tower coolers necessitate mounting points north and south of the socket.
- NM-AMB12: for coolers with 83 mm mounting pitch that require mounting points north and south of the socket (e.g. NH-D15(S), NH-D14, NH-D9L, NH-C14S, NH-L9x65)
- NM-AMB13: for coolers with 83 mm mounting pitch that require mounting points east and west of the socket (e.g. NH-U12P series, NH-U9B series)
- NM-AMB14: for coolers with 78 mm mounting pitch that require mounting points north and south of the socket (e.g. NH-D12L, NH-L12S)
- NM-AMB15: for coolers with 78 mm mounting pitch that require mounting points east and west of the socket (e.g. NH-U14S, NH-U12A, NH-U12S, NH-U9S)
- For a full compatibility list, please see this FAQ. For chromax.black CPU coolers, the NM-AMB12 and NM-AMB15 are also available in chromax.black versions.
Pricing and availability
The new offset mounting bars will be available as of today via Noctua's website or Amazon for a service charge of EUR 3.90 (website form) or EUR/USD 4.90 (Amazon) that helps to cover parts of the shipping and handling costs.
While the NM-AMB12, NM-AMB14 and NM-AMB15 bars for current cooler models are already in stock, NM-AMB13 that are required for legacy models will be ready to order within 1-2 weeks.
Noctua is also currently updating all its multi-socket CPU cooler models to include the new offset mounting bars. While availability will vary between models and countries, the first coolers that already include the offset mounting bars should start to become available by Q4
